Meet the organisers of RAG blind date 2021: Virtual edition

Raising money for charity doesn’t have to be a chore when you have events like Blind Dates and a Naked Calendar to look forward to! That’s the attitude of Raising and Giving Cambridge, a student society dedicated to fundraising. Better known as RAG Cambridge, their dedicated members have raised nearly a quarter of a million pounds over three years to help a range of causes from Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre to Action Against Hunger and Refugee Action.

Tab Cambridge spoke to RAG Co-Chair, Katie Heppell, and Events Co-Ordinator, Ashlan Richards, to look forward to the much-anticipated virtual blind dates and to see how the organisation has been tackling fundraising during lockdown:

(Photo Credit: Ashlan Richards)

I went on a blind date with a vegan girl… never met herbivore

RAG Blind Dates have become a highlight of the Cambridge Valentine’s celebrations, providing a now rare opportunity for genuine connection with a stranger (as well as the occasional source of hilarity!)

Covid may prevent you from having this year’s date in Dangerspoons, but for those living in Cambridge, the opportunity for a socially distanced walk is still on the table as RAG will be attempting to match Cam dwellers with each other. However, if you’re at home alone, never fear, RAG has brainstormed a few ways to make your blind date a memorable one!

Whilst you could play it cool by making the date a casual affair (Netflix party perhaps?), RAG emphasises the options available to everyone – “a theme, a background of Cambridge or just turn up in a crazy outfit.” RAG Blind Date presents an opportunity to get dressed up and potentially don the gown for the first time this year.

Non-singletons and happily singletons, we see you too! The opportunity to make new friends with a little help of the RAG matchmakers is open to everyone. You could even link up with a friend and make it a double date, the options truly are endless.

Ashlan and Katie recognise that “at the moment just speaking to someone new feels really exciting” and RAG are committed to getting people talking and making connections. RAG encourages anyone to join in the fun and apply – “you have nothing to lose!”

(Photo Credit: @cambridge.rag via Instagram)

‘We’ve become a lot more creative in the events we’ve come up with!’

With such a variety of iconic events across the university, it is easy for students to forget the Raising and Giving aspect of RAG (despite it being in the name!) We asked RAG how they determine which causes to fundraise for. They explained that they hold annual votes to determine the five charities to donate to at a local, national, and international level.

This allows the movement to adapt with the times. Katie said “choosing the charities every year means we can respond to current events and new charities that are rising to prominence.” The ability to follow current issues “is a very exciting part of RAG” making the organisation “really relevant.”

This ability to adapt has worked in RAG’s favour in recent months. Ashlan and Katie tell us how the nature of fundraising events has transformed as a result of such ~unprecedented~ times. In the past, fundraising has involved events such as Lost (where students are dropped in an unknown location and tasked with finding their way back to Cam in less than 24 hours) and Jailbreak (where students attempt to get as far from Cambridge in 36 hours).

These occasions have been put on hold to make way for excitement of a more virtual variety. Ashlan admits that online living has “obviously made a massive difference,” but that this has also provided the society with an opportunity to think outside the box. They tell The Tab that RAG has “become a lot more creative in the events we’ve come up with!”

Thankfully, RAG has taken the unofficial role of boredom vigilante, saving us from yet another Zoom trivia quiz with their online cocktail classes, Cambridge themed murder mysteries, and scavenger hunts. Now more than ever “people are looking for ways to meet … It’s a challenge but it’s also an opportunity to help people still enjoy themselves.”

(Photo Credit: Ashlan Richards)

The need to fundraise has been more urgently felt by RAG throughout the pandemic, yet this challenge is met by optimism by the team. They realise that “all charities are struggling, whether that’s because the people they are aiding are in particular need, for instance with homelessness charities, or because they’re struggling to find funding because of the state of the economy.” But fortunately, early concerns of giving fatigue have become a distant memory and Ashlan was quick to note how “amazed” RAG is by the willingness of people to give and get involved.

So whilst it appears that the work is never done for a society dedicated to helping others, it is clear the enjoyment is never-ending too. When asked what it’s like to work in the RAG team, Katie said: “It’s a very rewarding experience, knowing you are raising money for a good cause and giving people a chance to take part in fun, memorable events at the same time.” With committee hustings running at the end of this term, RAG encourages “anyone who is interested in charity and running events – no matter the level of experience – to get involved.”

There are so many ways to raise money for the causes you care about! RAG’s recent project ‘Collab with RAG’, aims to help people garner publicity and overcome logistical challenges when fundraising for a cause they care about. Ashlan says this allows RAG to “extend beyond the bounds of the charities we usually work with” and she would encourage anyone with a passion for a particular cause to apply.

More information about RAG and their fundraising can be found via their Facebook page.

Related articles recommended by this author:

• Love in lockdown: A guide to Covid-era Cambridge dating

• RAG Blind Date: An A-Z guide for newbies!

•What being away from Cambridge has taught me about friendship